Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-01-11
THE COWBOY.
roR rmr por.. suuurR rrvr.


In history !. both numerous and impor'
tsnt Iu growth like all else In the
West. has no parallel elsewhere lie
mus, be seen and known In Older 20 be
appreciated. No, seen In the struggling
long haired medical OF circus uamps
which are occasionally seen upon our
streets. but seen in their native elemen,
the grea, ranges OF the west.
Printers ink (sll powerful though !, be
in other diree,ions) canno, reproiaee the
cowboy around the fresid,s OF New Ens'
land. Ia this n 10 many other cases.
those Who know the leas, abou, them
have written the mos, and thus the con-
fusion Of ignorance has become eonfound-
ed. And ,hsse pen and ink artists have
succeeded in creating the impression
tha, the cowboys are . desperate. brutal.
drunken. murderous 10, Of fellows. who
live upon the plains simply because
they are oa,lawed in civilized localities
To all Of which in behalf Of those Of
whom | write | plead "no, guilty
Judging from observation | AN convine.
ell tha, a. a class their intelligence will
average With slmos, any other ella. OF
men Ia the country. some Of them !, Ia
true have always lived upon the fron,Isr
and are destitute Of the graees Of polished
society. but In the matter Of good sound
common sense they have no 'uperior' and
bu, f.~ equal. May Others have en-.
joyed all the advantages OF the schools
and are veil fitted ior position. In any
bu,ine. or society. aud are following
their pr,.sn, adventurous III. simply be-
cause they prefer i, to the more eon'sr'.
.,ive e.llings Of life.
The cowboys dress is as unique a. the
profession be follows. Baekskin jacket
and pants ohsn trimmed with leA,hern
t.s.el.. quill work and beads In true la
dian style. flannel shirt. broad orim-
med white OF brown scmbrero with brown
lel,hern band and buckle OF same color,
/. ,,ou, bel, =, the wsi,, Ia which i' car.
red a knif. and revolver. good Thick
boot, armed =, the heel With biz Meti'
can spurs. Their s,eed' are the small.
fleet. s,rons limbed. hardy Mexican po'
nie.. A, the saddle bow !. carried the
tru,,y l.ris,. eoiled up in a neat roll.
In fes. Of hOr-sman'hiP they will excel
the Indian. themselves.
when our e,pres. train rolled into the
dspO, at M.ndln. there ". ois
crowd Of cowboys around the station.
One Of them MAS mounted on heiy.
unbrOksn pony. which Was terrified by
the approaching train. The uniamed
blood of hi, ancestor. boiled In bis veins
and. m.ddened with frigh, aud rage. be
undertook 10 libera,e himself from the
masters rein. Plunging. rearing aud
kicking. be dashed At . breakneek rate
back aud forth Aeross the fields. while
the rider freely used Whip and spur TO
maintain bis authority. ], ~. trial
Of science sgsin,, strength. When the
struggle ended the cowboy Was the vie
tor. The pony. With reeking. bleeding
a.nk,, stood With bowed head within
ii, fee, Of the passing train, conquered.
These men spend mos. Of their time
upon the range. looking after the stock
committed 10 their care. but few per.
.on. are aware Of the immense financial
Interests which ar. committed to their
care. Hundreds OF thousands OF dollars
invested in cattle are turned loose upon
the ranges half q dOzsn cowboys Is the
only protection they have from the dep
red.,ios. Of Indians and al other thieves
Who roam upon the plains also from the
thousand other dangers which may en-
viron them. With ba, few exceptions
they are true 10 their trusts, and IN the
midi Of raging storms. piercing cold.
fierce winds and the burning hea, OF
summer they toll on. faithful TO their
employers. Their fare is Of the eoArse'i
kind they spend their nights either 10
little ,en,. or upon the ground IN the
open sir Daring the day they are
larger par, Of the time in the saddle.
racing aero. the plains. ever on the
aler, to de,se, any danger that may
threaten their stock.
The ourages which they commit are
generally inspired by liquor Alcohol
work. in . similar way the world
over. |, inspires men TO lie. steal. shoot
and murder on the plains jus, a. !, does
in New England. Its universll custom
!. to make men foolish and brutal the
world over. SO when the cowboys take
a vacation and ride into town TO eele-
bra,e the vacation on poor whi'key, you
had better look out, and II you have a
cyclone cellar you will do well TO occupy
II, for the mos, dangerous cyclone that
ever existed we., OF the Mississippi river
is . band Of rum erazed cowboys ridins
around the town. who for harmless
amusement are shooting the cigars from
your mouth or trimming your mus,aehe
with their revOlves. A, such time.
there |. mischief in the air. and you will
wan, to retire from the public gare. II
under such conditions they would only
practice these pranks upon those who
.old them the liquor the custom should
be encouraged for the public good; and
then when the ,arge, material in the wes,
is exhausted we would invite one or two
brigades Of cowboys TO come east each
year upon an annual vacation, and prae.
lice their gihs upon our eastern rum
sellers until their tribe should become
extinct
Boys. whs, do you think Of my prop
osi,ion The cowboy does no, propose
to be ou. done by any person. In any
way. Even In story telling they tower
above all competitors. One day ! enter
ed . variety store in = small village in
Washington Territory. A crowd OF
men were lounging upon boxes and bar
rsls spinning yarns, and some OF those
stories we're tough, to say the least. A
tall, lank, lean. verdant looking cowboy
was stretched out over three or four bar
rl., while bis lsgs were coiled upon one
end OF the counter. He listened silently
until his turn came. Then he began
like this. "You see two years ago ] Was
gr,xing on tother side OF Priekly Pear.
O,. ni,ht I vss desprut tired and slept